Tears at the Finish Line as Dominika Becomes First Slovak Woman with Cerebral Palsy to Complete International Triathlon

The water was cold, it was windy and rainy. But 19-year-old Dominika Medveďová was not afraid. She embraced the race with determination in her heart and a smile on her face. After a gruelling swim, cycle and run, she crossed the finish line with tears of elation. And you can be sure that she was not the only one crying. Tears also flowed from her mother Mária, the spectators and many other athletes. They will remember this moment forever.

Dominika became the first Slovak woman with cerebral palsy to complete an entire international triathlon. And she did it all on her own. Without special adaptations and alongside athletes from more than 50 countries around the world.

“At the beginning, the water was very cold, but then I was swimming well. The hardest part for me was the bike ride, because it was windy. But I am glad I did it. I am looking forward to the next race,” said Dominika modestly at the finish line, where she was greeted with a warm hug from her mother and a swell of pride from all around her.

Dominika was born with cerebral palsy—a diagnosis that affects movement, coordination and often speech. Many children with this disability end up at home, in isolation and without a chance to experience a sense of success. But not Dominika.

"She has been swimming since she was five. At first it was just rehabilitation, a way to help her. But when she saw that her peers were going to races, she wanted to too. So the coaches included her with the other children," says her mother Mária. Swimming motivated her to push her limits—today Dominika trains at the Swimming Club in Banská Bystrica together with mainstream athletes. She swims all styles—crawl, breaststroke, backstroke, the longest she had previously managed was the 400 metres. The triathlon was something completely different.

"We heard about triathlon last year and found out that Special Olympics Slovakia organises it specifically for athletes with intellectual disabilities. We said we would try it. Dominika really enjoys competitions and likes to move. So we signed up," recalls her mother. And they started training. In their own way.

Dominika learned to ride a bike at home when she was seven with the help of her parents. “It was hard at first. She had to learn to coordinate her hands, feet and head. I really had to run after her,” Mária laughs today, but her voice breaks when she remembers the triathlon finish. “I cried. I was so proud of her... she did something we never dreamed of.”

The Championship 2025 in Šamorín was not just an ordinary sporting event. It was the largest triathlon in Slovakia, with more than 2,200 mainstream athletes from 52 countries around the world taking part. It also hosted the 4^th Special Olympics European Triathlon Championship. 23 athletes with intellectual disabilities competed. Among them was Dominika—the first woman from Slovakia to do so.

“Her performance didn’t leave a single eye dry,” shares Special Olympics Slovakia Sports Director Martina Gogolová. She adds, “When she realised what she had accomplished, she was moved. We all were.”

“Our athletes competed together with all of the other competitors. Same courses, same conditions. There was lots of support and admiration from them. And that is a step towards real inclusion,” explains Dominika Nestarcová, President of Special Olympics Slovakia. “The most emotional experience was welcoming the athletes at the finish line. Their performances, dedication, overcoming themselves... That is something that stirs your heart.”

Dominika has a twin brother at home named Marek, who plays hockey. Thanks to sports and exercise, she is now bolder, more disciplined and better able to navigate the world. She has friends, uses messenger and social networks and lives the life of a young person—of course, in her own way.

“Many people think that a child with this diagnosis cannot do anything. But Dominika proves the opposite. Parents stop us and ask how it is possible. And I tell them—thanks to Special Olympics Slovakia and to the fact that we never pushed her aside. She went to a regular elementary school,” adds her mother.

After the race, Dominika finished fourth place in her category. But the results are not the most important thing. Her victory was that she did it at all. And that she is already looking forward to the next triathlon. But for now, a celebration and a trip to a wellness centre wait her at home. Enjoy it all, Dominika. We know we’re going to see you at another start line very soon!